Tyre safety. It's time to take responsibility.

I know tyres aren't very exciting to talk about. They are generally black, round and are somewhat essential to keeping your vehicle on the road. Up until recently I knew nothing more than this.

A few months ago we bought a new-to-us car. I can't say I particularly looked at the tyres. I vaguely remember thinking there was a good amount of tread on them so they'd be fine for quite a while.

Just a few weeks later I was horrified to notice that two of the tyres were not only almost bald but had white stringy stuff visible. I drove very gingerly to a tyre fitting garage and was told that our car had been fitted with completely the wrong sized tyres and those tyres had not been balanced properly. This was not only dangerous but potentially life threatening. I felt sick thinking that driving blithely round with the wrong tyres had put my whole family at risk.

The car needed a full set of brand new tyres immediately!

Sorting it out I learned a lot about the numbers stamped on the tyre walls and how it is vital you buy the right tyres for the type of vehicle, the load you carry and the speed you drive. I learned that fitting certain tyres can be considerably more fuel efficient and some more suitable for summer or winter use. Turns out tyres are more important than for just making the ride smoother and it's worth doing your research to make sure the tyres on your car are the best you can afford!


Everyone should learn to check tyre pressures, know how to inflate tyres correctly and know what legal tread looks like - a recent Mumsnet survey revealed that 73% of women surveyed left tyre safety to the man of the house.

Michelin - world famous for their tyres -  are particularly proud of their Total Performance tyres which they say bring together the optimum mix of grip, long life and fuel economy.

And to help you stay safe they have created a video to dispel some winter driving myths- click below to watch it. I also have published the results of a survey of Mumsnet mums which has some shocking statistics about how little some people know about tyre safety.

Please- before you heave a bored sigh and click away from this post, remember that knowing about sourcing the right tyres, knowing how to check they are safe and how to drive correctly in winter weather can not only save you money it can save your life.

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Disclaimer: This post was written in collaboration with Michelin and Mumsnet. I was not paid to write it-the post has been entered into a competion. Views and opinions remain honest and my own.